the monday jury
We answer four key questions
Halfway around the world and back again for two shots on target. What else do Scotland bring home from Stewart Regan’s bonkers tour?
That the home strip looks great with dark blue shorts.
A bit of experience for players such as Scott McKenna, John McGinn and Oli McBurnie who are among the most likely to feature in future squads. But there’s no getting away from the fact this was an illthought out trip.
The tour does not merit much more discussion. It was a shambles from start to finish and we learned absolutely nothing. Scotland had four shots and scored no goals in 180 minutes. That says it all really.
Altitude sickness. And some extra caps.
Ally McCoist, Alan Stubbs, Robbie Neilson, Jim McIntyre, Gary Caldwell, Oran Kearney and, erm, Guti. Who would you give the St Mirren gig to?
Given St Mirren have asked for Coleraine for permission to invite Kearney into the process it looks very much like he is in the box seat. Losing Jack Ross was a hammer blow but Saints appear to be spoiled for choice.
It seems tailormade for Neilson. A young, progressive manager in the Ross mould who left Hearts in second place when he quit for MK Dons. It didn’t work out down south but it could in Paisley.
Is John Hartson the man for Livinsgton?
Hartson looks an ideal fit given his knowledge of the players and coaching staff at the club. He’d also add another layer of glamour to what promises to be a fascinating top-flight campaign. But Kevin Thomson would make another interesting candidate. Well, they’ve beaten the French already so Scot Gemmill’s young guns cannot be underestimated. Beating England to book a place in the Final is the stuff that dreams are made of. Four goals or one goal, it doesn’t matter. Just do it.
Tough one. Livi and David Hopkin seemed an ideal partnership and whoever comes in will have a mammoth task, particularly with some of their team already moving on to pastures new. Hartson is in about the club and knows it so why not give him a crack at it?
Three. Nae bother.
McCoist and Guti are a no-no. This is a three-way fight between Stubbs, McIntyre and Neilson. Two out of the three know the league inside out although the trio have all been successful bosses in their own right.
Former players turned pundits landing managerial gigs seems to be in vogue right now. If Hartson fancies the gig why not? He has been coaching the Livi strikers who fired them back to the Premiership. There is a familiarity and continuity with Hartson.
McIntyre would be the one. Although Neilson would also be on the two-man shortlist. Both have done it in the Premiership and know how to get results there.
Trying out new managers seems to be the popular outlook for this summer but this job looks a fit for someone with more experience. Perhaps Stubbs – or whoever out of McIntyre and Neilson if they don’t get the job at St Mirren.
Scotland v England in Toulon. How many goals are we going to win by?
I tip the Scots to reach the Final by defeating the Auld Enemy 2-1. The affable Gemmill has assembled a squad capable of going all the way this time. In Billy Gilmour and Oliver Burke we do have genuine talent to get excited about. Fingers crossed.
The young Scots have been superb and it will be magnificent if they can keep it going against England. Let’s go for a 2-1 triumph.